Rotary beater



Se t. 26 195% w. F. MIDDLESTADT ROTARY BEATER Sept. 18, 1945 Emma rm o IV/lZ/AM fill/0015512 Patented Sept. 26, 1950 ROTARY BEATER William F. Middlestadt, Baltimore, Md., assignor to The James Gibbons Company, Relay, Md.

Application September 18, 1945, Serial N 0. 616,988 11 Claims. (01. -183) This invention relates to rotary beater and more particularly to a beater adapted to clear the surface of pavements, roadways and runways of the asphaltic material of expansion joints both adjacent to the gap of the expansion joint, as well as the contents of the gap to a predetermined depth preparatory to a re-conditioning of the expansion joints. 7

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rotary beater functioning as mild scarifier for the purpose of removing foreign matter in and adjacent to the gaps of expansion joints preparatory to the re-filling of these gaps I with fresh asphaltic material.

It is another object of my invention to provide a rotary beater which may be used in lieu of, or in conjunction with wire bristle brushes and which are characterized by a much longer life in the cleanin of roadway surfaces of asphaltic material which had exuded from the gaps of eX- pansion joints and contraction joints as a result of seasonal temperature variations- It is the object of the present invention to provide a'rugged and economical beater construction which effectively clears the surfaces adjacent to joints as well as the gap between the pavement sections including the vertical lateral Walls thereof of all debris and bituminous material preparatory to a re-conditioning of the joints. This clearing function is performed with no damage to the roadway in view of the resilient and yielding characteristics of the parts of the rotary beater which yield before any damaging effects on the roadway or runway can take place.

The invention is particularly useful in the method and apparatus for re-conditioning expansion joints which are disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 592,884, filed May 9, 1945, since abandoned, as a substitute for the rotary bristle brush disclosed in said application.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the description of the invention following here- Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the spacer plates of which the beater is built up.

The invention contemplates the mounting of a rotary beater upon a movable frame which is adapted to be traversed across the area, to be cleaned. The beater embodies a plurality of separate pivotally mounted beating or striking pins 16, preferably of steel wire, which operate by centrifugal force to loosen foreign matter from cement concrete, which foreign matter may be asphalt, bituminous material, ice or debris of any type; the sizeof the pins, their rigidity and speed of rotary movement, in a large measure control the intensity of the beating action. The mounting frame is indicated in Fig. 1 by angle irons l and l to which are affixed supporting angle irons 2 and 2 carrying the bearing 3' and 3' for the journals of the main rotary shaft l0 which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by means of pulley 4 mounted on the end of the shaft Ill.

The pulley may be rotated by means of a chain, belt or gear transmission from an internal combustion engine or any other form of prime mover.

The support for the beater pins is obtained by the mounting of a series of elongated steel plates l2 as shown in Fig. 4 on the mounting shaft H) which may be clamped on the shaft between a pair of clamping nuts 5. Each of the plates [2 has a main circular opening 13 adjacent to one end thereof sufliciently large to be slid over the main rotary shaft ID to be clamped adjacent to a plurality of similar plates l2 in abutting contact with each other. The main shaft may be less than 1 /2 in diameter to accommodate opening [3 of 1 /2 diameter. A pair of smaller openings 14, large enough to accommodate, for example, a rod, are disposed adjacent the other end of the plate 12. If desired, a projection l3 extending into the opening 53 and in alignment I with the longitudinal axis of the plate may be inafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is a front elevation of the rotary beater in accordance with the invention, having inter mediate repetitious portions thereof broken away, mounted in a frame which is adapted to be traversed across the area to be cleaned;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the beater shown in Fig. 1, showing the general provided on the plate l2 to facilitate the alignment of the several plates l2, which is described below. .These projections l3 may cooperate with a plurality of longitudinally extending keyways l0 formed in the main rotary shaft at four equidistant points around its lateral surface.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the steel plates I 2 may be stamped from stock or, if desired, two /8 plates may be used together in lieu of the plates shown in the drawing.

' Thus, to form a beater having an effective length of 20", eighty A1" plates would be utilized. The first plate l2 may be mounted on the shaft in the direction shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the plate 3 adjacent thereto is disposed at right angles to the first plate, for example, with the portions containing the openings I4 disposed upwardly. Thereupon the following plate is slid on the shaft II) with the openings I4 disposed on the right of the shaft Ill, and thereafter the fourth plate is slid on the shaft with the openings I4 disposed below the shaft. Thereafter the fifth plate assumes the same direction as did the first plate with the openings It to the left of the shaft I0, and the above cycle is repeated. This method of mounting is generally illustrated in the transverse sectional view shown in Fig. 2, which mounting is facilitated by the provision of the keyway's Ill and projections I3, although this expedient is not absolutely essential in the attainment of the present invention. The mounting of the twenty sets of plates of four each, as described above,

results in four pairs of aligned openings l4 which extend radially from the main shaft at right angles to each other.

A plurality of buffer elements I5, preferably of solid rubber, of approximately thickness, and which may be about 2 square in cross-section, are mountedin-the gaps between each fourth plate and aremaintained in integrated condition by a rod 24 extending therethrough and through the corresponding opening [4 in every fourth plate I2. The rod 24 may be threaded at its ends and may be provided with clamping nuts thereat. The plurality of beater pins I6 are also mounted in the gaps intermediate every fourth plate, and the number of these'beater pins in each gap depends upon the thickness of the stock from which they are made. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention there are six beater pins of steel wire, each having a diameter of less than or 0.118 to enable a controlled freedom of swinging movement of the pins without binding in the course of their rotary travel and the throw imparted to them by centrifugal force. A rod is passed through the other opening M in each plate and is passed through the eyes I! ofthe pins I6 to'function as a support for the pins. Following the threading of the rod 25 through the openings I4 and the eyes of the beater pins I6, the rod is clamped in position by means of nuts mounted on the threaded extremities thereof in the same manner as the mounting of rod 24'.

The description above in respect to the mounting of the buffer elements I5 and the beater pins I6 on the rods 24 and 25, respectively, apply to eachgroup of plates extending radially from the main rotary shaft III in the four directions at right angles to each other.

Fig. 2'indicates by arrows the direction of translating movement of the rotary beater as well as the direction of the rotary movement thereof from which may be seen the group of pins I6 entering into cooperation with the surface of the pavement S which permits a tilting of the pins to any extent to accommodate them to the irregularities of the roadway while presenting a beating and scratching action thereon to clear the asphaltic material therefrom. After one set of pins leaves the effective field of operation, the centrifugal force of the beater tends to throw them outwardly as represented by the other positions of the beater pins, and the stopping edges !5a of the buffer elements I5 serve to limit the throw of the pins in their pivotal movement. If such provision were not made, the centrifugal force would act to throw the pins I6 beyond the position of that shown on the right of Fig. 2 so that as the pins would travel towards the surface of the roadway, the desired pivotal movement shown with respect to the lowermost set of pins would not necessarily take place, which would result in either a breakage of the pins or permanent damage to the roadways. Such difficulties are excluded by the provision of the buffer members I5, as shown in the embodiment of the invention.

In order to clear the space of the expansion joint of bituminous material to a predetermined depth, special beater pins 25 are provided at the middle of the rotary beater in each quadrant thereof, each group being slightly offset with respect tothe next group. The beater pins 26 may be an inch longer than those on either side thereof so that these pins of 4 lengths rather than 3 lengths protrude and strike into the gaps of the expansion joints to clear away the asphaltic material therefrom. The frame of which members I,. I', 2 and 2 form apart, may be provided with a toothed guide as shown in my above-men tioned application, or with a disc guide for the purpose of guiding the rotary beater along the expansion joint of the pavement sections, so that the heaters 26 of greater length may operate on the material in the gap of the expansion joint.

The rotary beater in accordance with the present invention may beused for purposes other than that specifically described herein, such as the loosening of soil, the conditioning of dirt roadways or tennis court grounds, the removal of ice from roadways and other fields of application.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scopeof which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1.--A rotary beater comprising a main rotary shaft having a plurality of radially elongated spaced plates fixedly mounted thereon having portions thereof extending radially from said shaft in-a plurality of respective difierent directions, a rod extending longitudinally of saidbeater throughthe portions of said plurality of plates which extend in each common direction, a plurality of striking pins pivotally mounted on said rod in each gap between adjacent spacer plates, and a cushioning member mounted in each of said gaps and spaced from: said rod having a supporting edge adjacent to said pivoted str ikingpins for limiting the angular movement of said pins in one direction.

2. A rotary beater comprising a main rotary shaft having a plurality of radially elongated spaced plates fixedly mounted thereon having portions thereof extending radially from said shaft in a plurality of respective different directions, two fixedrods extending longitudinally of said beater through the portions of said plurality of plates which extend in each common direction, a plurality of striking pins pivotally mounted on one of said rods in each gap in said different directions between adjacent spacer plates, and a cushioning member mounted on the second rod in each of said gaps, having a supshaft supported on said frame and having a plurality of elongated spacer plates fixedly mounted thereon having portions thereof extending radially from said shaft in difierent directions at displaced points along the length thereof and defining gaps therebetween due to said different directions, two openings in each of said portions in alignment with corresponding openings in siniilarly directed portions of said displaced plates,

two rods extending longitudinally of said beater through said openings, a plurality of striking pins pivotally mounted on one of said rods in each gap between similarly directed portions of said. spacer plates, and a resilient cushioning member mounted on the second rod in each of said gaps having a supporting edge adjacent to said pivoted striking pin for limiting the angular movement Of said pins in one direction.

4. A rotary beater comprising a main rotary shaft, a plurality of at least four elongated spacer plates each provided with an opening adjacent to one end thereof, means for clamping said plates on said rotary shaft adjacent to each other by fitting said openings thereon, each plate being displaced radially from the adjacent one by about 90 to form four radial sets of plates having an intermediate gap at the ends ofsaid plates opposite said openings and between the plates of the same set, a plurality of beating pins pivotally mounted in each of said intermediate gaps about 6 said openings for the shaft. mounting and between plates of the same set, a pluralit of beating pins pivotally mounted in each of said intermediate gaps about an axis parallel to said rotary shaft, and a resilient buffer element mounted in each of said gaps for restraining the pivotalmovement of said pins in one direction.

'7. A rotary beater as set forth in claim 6 wherein the spacer plates are rectangular in outline having a circular opening for fitting over a cylindrical main rotary shaft.

8. A rotary beater comprising a main rotary shaft, a plurality of at least four elongated spacer plates each provided with a large opening adjacent to one end thereof and a pair of smaller openings adjacent to the other end thereof, means for clamping said plates on said rotary shaft adjacent to each other by fitting said large openings thereon, each plate being displaced radially from the adjacent one by about 90 to form four radial sets of plates having an intermediate gap at said other ends of said plates between the plates v of the same set, a pair of rods extending through axes parallel to said rotary shaft, and a resilient buffer element mounted in each of said gaps for restraining the pivotal movement of said pins in one direction.

5. A rotar beater comprising a main rotary shaft, a plurality of at least four elongated spacer plates each provided with an opening adjacent to one end thereof, means for clamping said plates on said rotary shaft adjacent to each other by fitting said openings thereon, each plate being displaced radially from the adjacent one by about 90 to form four radial sets of plates having an intermediate gap at the ends of said plates opposite said openings and between the plates of the same set, a rod extending through the plate ends of each set and the gaps therebetween, a plurality of striking pins pivotally mounted on said rod in each of said gaps, and a resilient bufier element mounted in each of said gaps adjacent to the pivotal mounting of pins for restraining the pivotal movement of said pins in one direction.

6. A rotary beater comprising a main rotary shaft, a plurality of elongated spacer plates each provided with an opening adjacent to one end thereof, means for clamping a plurality of said plates on said rotary shaft adjacent to each other by fitting said openings thereon, each plate being angularly displaced from the adjacent one by a common equal amount to form a plurality of radial sets of plates, each set having an intermediate gap at the ends of said plates opposite the aligned pairs of smaller openings in each radial set of plate ends, a plurality of beating pins pivotally mounted on one of said'rods in each of said intermittent gaps, and a resilient buffer element mounted on said second rod in each of said gaps for restraining the pivotal movement of said pins in one direction.

9. A rotary beater as set forth in claim 8 wherein the spacer plates are rectangular in out line and have circular openings for accommodating a cylindrical main rotary shaft and cylindrical retaining rods, and wherein said beating pins are provided with eyes at one end thereof for attaining a pivotal mounting thereof on the first rod.

10. A rotary beater as set forth in claim 8 wherein the main rotary shaft is cylindrical and is provided with four equidistantly. spaced longitudinally keyways and the large openings in the spacer plates are circular with a projection at a common point thereof for fitting selectively in the keyways in said shaft.

11. A rotary beater as set forth in claim 8 wherein the groups of beating pins at the middle of said main shaft are longer than the beating pins on each side thereof.

WILLIAM F. MIDDLESTADT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS 

